Winner Take All
by Radar1388
Summary: Rodney won. The Tri-State Area is under his control. It's now up to the Phineas and Ferb gang, and Doofenshmirtz, to get their town back. A fight to save Danville...and Phineas. Sequel to one-shots from "With These One Shots".
1. Prologue: Game Over

_* I referenced the episodes "Road Trip", "Rollercoaster", "Journey to the Center of Candace", and "Toy to the World". __**I do not own any episodes.**_

_Throughout the story, I will be making references to my stories "Back Across" and "With These One Shots". I will also reference "Phineas and Ferb: Across the Second Dimension". **I do not own this movie.**_

_**Rated : T**__ For mildly intense action._

_**By the way**__, I got my inspiration for this first chapter from the author __**psychncislover. **__(Yes, he/she knows that I've posted this.) __**Psychncislover**__ has an excellent chapter story called "Remembering"- a Perry, Phineas, and Ferb bonding story - and I highly recommend reading it.(Again, he/she knows I have posted this.)_

Prologue

"Game over!" Rodney cackled as he started blasting Phineas and Ferb with his latest 'Inizer'.

Luck was on their side. The brothers swiftly sidestepped away from the purple blast and made a beeline down the street. With an eccentric grin pasted wide on his lips, the scientist ran after them.

"Not," Phineas panted. "one of our-" The boy cringed as pain shot up his leg.

"-better ideas." Ferb finished his sentence.

Perhaps a rewind should be in order.

* * *

><p><em>(Approximately an hour ago, Doofenshmirtz Evil Incorporated)<em>

"I call it," He paused for effect. "The Inizer!"

"Lame," Doofenshmirtz jested at the name. Really, who names an evil invention with just a suffix? The scientist considered it absurd. Rodney turned a blue crank around the nozzle of the machine. The evil scientist's newest gadget was sleek, pieced together perfectly, and made out of the aluminum foil that Heinz used when he attempted to pull the eastern seaboard to reverse rotation of the Earth. Every nut and bolt was screwed in, polished, and adjusted accordingly. Rodney wanted zero flaws. This was his chance and he was not going to blow it.

He smiled triumphantly as he poured purple 'Boom Juice' into the side of the creation. This was no ordinary laser.

"Excuse me," Phineas peeked through the bars of the cage that hung a couple feet off the floor. His brother sat in the adjacent cell. "I'm not quite sure what we did wrong, but-"

"It's your fault!" Rodney roared. He sprinted over, grabbed the bottom of Phineas' cage, and gave it a quick, menacing jerk. "If it wasn't for you, I would've won the L.O.V.E.M.U.F.F.I.N. pageant. If it wasn't for you, your platypus wouldn't have become the best secret agent in the Tri-State Area _and_ he wouldn't have given me this scar." For emphasis, the lunatic pushed his hand towards the boy's face, revealing the stitched teeth-marks on the back of Rodney's hand.

"You," Rodney wagged a finger at Doofenshmirtz. "Don't just stand there like a buffoon. Fire it up!"

For once, Dr. D. considered just what was going on. This medium-sized device wasn't just made to take over Danville. He was thwarted hundreds of times by his nemesis, but not once did the scientist ever contemplate _revenge._

"Look," Doofenshmirtz swallowed. "Rodney, maybe-" He jumped inches in the air when the scientist hollered again. Dr. D. wrung his hands, knowing it was best not to question his colleague. Sighing almost apologetically, Doofenshmirtz flipped a switch.

The laser whirred to life.

"You see, boys," Rodney demonstrated. "By reusing the blueprints of Heinz's Make-up-your-mind-inator-" Phineas asked his brother what he was talking about. Ferb shrugged. "-You know, I had a back-story prepared, but," Rodney scratched his chin. "I'm just going to skip to the punch."

He patted the side of the machine, the clang echoed about the room. Rodney explained that by using the volatile power of the Boom Juice, he was going to destroy certain parts of Danville. He assumed that after the citizens realized they couldn't do anything to stop him, he would automatically gain control over the Tri-State Area.

Everyone would have to bend to his will. The plan was full proof.

"And all that's left to do," Rodney looked through the scope and aimed at a small figure gliding above the streets of Danville. A platypus wearing a jetpack. "is give it a little test run…"

Before he could even pull the trigger, Ferb shoved open the cage door and leapt heroically onto Rodney's back.

"How did you escape?" The evil scientist snarled in outrage. He pushed the boy off with ease.

"Our platypus has mad skills at lock picking," Phineas smiled as he hopped out of the cell. "He taught us a thing or two." Ferb grabbed his brother by the upper arm and half-dragged him out the door.

Donning a thoroughly enraged scowl, Rodney spun the laser around and fired without any means of aim.

All the while, Dr. Doofenshmirtz just looked on, staring.

Phineas yelped, stumbling forward into the hallway. "I'm okay," He pressed his teeth together as a burning sensation closed around his ankle. Putting out his hand, Ferb took it and helped him to his feet.

Even with his brother limping, they managed to make it to the steps. Rodney took his weapon off its mount.

"Where," Phineas gripped the railing when he nearly tripped. "did we stash those communicators we made today?"

"Last I checked," Ferb muttered. "Our invention-making was interrupted by a deranged pharmacist."

Not only was the invention unfinished, but they had absolutely no way of contacting Perry.

* * *

><p>(Perry's POV)<p>

I crashed through the windows of D.E.I. to the sight of my nemesis standing dead center in the room. With raised fists, I chattered and stepped into his line of vision.

"_What trap have you prepared this time_?"

He gasped then crossed his arms. That's when he spun around on his heels, avoiding eye contact. "Well," he huffed. "Look who _finally_ decided to show up."

I lowered my teal hands and shook my head. "_What are you talking about_," I tapped my watch. "_I'm right on schedule_."

"You know what," Doofenshmirtz growled. "All this time I thought I could tell you my back-stories, explain my evil plan, then you'd escape from the trap, and everything would be all 'hunky-dory'."

"_Should I ask where this is going_?"

"All of a sudden," he gasped, dramatically cupping a hand over his mouth. "Mr. Big-Shot can't be bothered to tell _his_ back-story." _Okay, you have my attention. _"I cannot believe it," Doofenshmirtz threw his hands to the air. "Of all the platypuses to have owners…"

My eyes widened. How did he find out? I jumped up, grabbed him by the collar of the lab coat, and gave him a questioning stare. He reluctantly gave the explanation.

Rodney told him. _That means Rodney knows_, I thought with utter redundancy. It only took me a matter of seconds before I finished the mental puzzle.

When I left for work that morning, the backyard was empty aside from a few gutted cell phones and wires that spanned on the grass. I assumed they both left to get extra parts and tools like they normally did.

I landed on the floor, madly swiveling my eyes to every corner of the room. I was searching for the only two things that mattered in my world. Neither of my boys were in sight. Panic boiled inside me as Doofenshmirtz continued to ramble.

"You know what, Perry the platypus?" Abruptly, a hand was put to my shoulder blades, guiding me to the exit. "We are no longer 'frenemies'." That's all he said when he pushed me out to the hall and slammed the door on my face, literally.

Rubbing the tip of my bill, curiosity pulled my eyes downward. Many of the floor tiles bared scorch marks.

* * *

><p>With Rodney on their tail, they had to put their creative minds to the test and devise <em>something<em>. With Phineas shuffling and struggling to keep up, it was up to Ferb.

The silent one puffed an audible sigh of relief. They both spotted a fire escape. It may not get them completely out of harm's way, but perhaps they could create more ground between them and Rodney.

Making sure Phineas was right behind him, he began to scale the rusted ladder up the side of the "Har D Har Toys" factory. Luckily, Ferb was able to make it to a ledge less than halfway up the building.

Perspiration matted to Phineas' forehead as he tried to follow his brother's pace. Just as he wiped the sweat away, his ankle brushed against a rail on the ladder. He sreeched in pain.

The boy lost his footing.

(Perry's POV)

Midair, I discarded the jetpack and landed next to Ferb. I chattered with immense relief as I pulled him into a tight hug. The respite was short lived, however…_Where was Phineas?_ We casted our sights down the base of the building.

Rodney had my boy cornered against the brick wall. With realization, Phineas snapped his eyes to the evil doer. His small form started shaking with fear as he desperately tried to get his feet back under him. I vaulted over the side of the building and skipped the first rule of being a secret agent: _always have a plan._

The trigger pulled.

The entire world was forced into slow motion, almost a blur.

A cruel, vicious purple haze expanded from the laser and rammed Phineas square in the chest. He screamed for my help just as it happened. Then, my owner dropped to the littered cement. I landed between Phineas and Rodney.

Numbly, I gently shook Phineas' shoulders. His eyes were closed, unconscious. His mouth was open in a silent yell for assistance. I vaguely remember Ferb climbing back down the fire escape. My bill opened, ready to order him to stay where he was.

I was frozen to the spot.

Rodney cackled, like the megalomaniac that he was, and flicked a switch on the laser. It started buzzing.

He won.

This was all a mistake, a big one. I should've never told them my secret in the first place.

Dear readers, it has come to my attention that the universe has it out for me.


	2. Waste of Time

_* I referenced a song by Charles Hale. I referenced a book by Homer. I referenced the episodes "Phineas and Ferb Hawaiian Vacation", "Gaming The System", "Bullseye", "Brain Drain", "Spa Day", and "No More Bunny Business". **I don't own any episodes, books, or songs.**_

Chapter 1

Half of Danville lay in ruins.

A sad frown played on my bill as I repositioned the hang glider.

The once bright, sunny skies turned dark, gray, and dismal. Buildings had been ripped apart, windows were broken, and the remains of destroyed houses littered the pavement. That includes _my_ home. The standard hustle and bustle of the town vanished, almost deserted. Those who remained in the city were either helpless citizens, aids in the rebellion, or working for _him_.

A cry sliced the smoky air and I almost dropped the duffle bag. The glider pushed to a dive.

Near the edge of the street, the woman stood cornered as the short figure approached. Tossing the bag aside, I jumped in between the two. I heard the woman gulp from behind. Her attacker wasn't armed, nor was his demeanor that threatening. _Zombie-like_ would be a better word.

I gazed at the foe's headgear.

Nodding with realization, I jumped forward until I was inches in front of him. Without pause, I swung around, my tail whipping the helmet off the guy's head.

A squeal of shock escaped the woman before she took off down the street. "_You're welcome_," I chattered with no sarcasm intended.

The attacker groaned, eyes rapidly blinking.

Dr. Diminutive.

He gasped aloud and stared curiously around him as if he just woke up from sleepwalking. His sights fell onto me. The evil scientist regarded me with suspicion before nodding a 'thank you' and ducking for cover in a nearby alley.

The greeting was blunt, but it didn't matter. Many people chose to fend for themselves at the time.

The helmet that Diminutive had worn lied abandoned on the cracked cement. I bent, picked it up, and threw it in with the rest of the bag's contents.

* * *

><p>Doofenshmirtz Evil Incorporated was hardly touched. There was no reason for it to be assaulted. Come on, how much of a threat was Doofenshmirtz? It was the most secure place for a hideout, the only place for a hideout.<p>

After walking through the doors of D.E.I., I pressed a button on the wall. A minute passed and the elevator never came.

"_Power failure_," I chattered. However, I shouldn't have felt surprised. The electricity had been haywire for the better part of the week. Still, it irritated me that I couldn't get up to the top floor quick enough.

I traipsed through hallway after hallway, up step after step. Many apartment doors were wide open, the rooms left empty.

Believe it or not, D.E.I. did not have a lot of residents, even before the recent takeover of Danville. The only people who took cover in the apartments were my family, friends, and a few random citizens.

Huffing, puffing, and lugging the duffle bag higher on my shoulder, I finally reached the door to the penthouse. Releasing a breath, I balled my fist to tap out the super secret knocking rhythm on the door: _Shave and a Haircut._

"Oh," Doofenshmirtz's smile fell as he opened the door. With just a sigh, he let me through to the room. He was still miffed about not telling him that I had owners. Speaking of which…

Ferb ran at me full force, nearly shoving me to the ground. I only dropped the bag. We hugged each other tightly. _I'm never going to be gone for two days straight ever again._

"Oh," Candace came up as Ferb and I separated. "There you are, Perry." Then, from the middle of the room, I received other greetings from Baljeet, Buford, the Fireside Girls, and several animal and human members of OWCA.

Yes, Phineas and Ferb's friends and family discovered my secret. It was strange, too. I can't remember how, when, or where they found out. Every time I asked about this, the subject instantly changed. Even weirder, the shift in conversation never sounded forced or on purpose.

I shook the thoughts away. There were more pressing issues at that moment.

Walking to the desks and tables that lined the edge of the room, I unzipped the duffle bag and began setting out ketchup, mustard, jelly, peanut butter, bologna, bread and anything else that could be used to make a sandwich. When everyone saw what I was doing, they rushed over, gave me fervent gratitude, and began piling into the food.

"_Hey, Perry_," Someone barked. I watched Pinky lie thin slabs of cheese on a slice of bread. "_Did you happen to find a first-aid kit while you were gone? Isabella needs a bandage_." I dove through the bag and brought out a small box. Smiling, the Chihuahua jogged to his owner and held out a band-aid.

"Pinky," The girl protested with a smile. "It's only a paper cut." Isabella sighed, humored her pet, and wrapped the bandage around a finger. That reminded me of something.

After everyone got their food together, I started to walk around the room, duffle bag in tow. I went up to all of them, giving them 'gifts' that I had found in the last few days.

Candace let out a shrill squeal of happiness when I presented the burnt and torn Ducky Momo doll. I couldn't begin to explain how many broken boards I had to turn over just to find her beloved stuffed animal. Her boyfriend, Jeremy, patted my head when I gave him his collection of guitar picks; Isabella did the same when she received her sash. Unfortunately, many of the patches were torn off and missing, but she didn't seem to mind. I was also able to recover the sashes for the rest of the Fireside Girls. I found Baljeet's calculator and Buford's "Jump N' Duck" video game. I even found Carl's 'Dr. Coconut' cassette tape.

"Wahoo!" The intern jumped a foot in the air. "I can't wait to dance to this later," That's when he noticed all eyes were on him. "In private, that is."

We didn't have a specific reason for staying at Evil Incorporated. Sure, our homes were pretty much destroyed, but we obviously could've gone elsewhere, away from the Tri-State Area. There was a problem, however.

By now, you've probably noticed that I haven't mentioned the whereabouts of the adults. In a nutshell, Rodney and his minions ended up capturing them. Even Monogram was a victim. All we had to do was put our plan into action and rescue everyone in Danville. Simple, right?

We didn't have a plan. My lair had been found and destroyed. Therefore, I couldn't recover my secret agent devices or replicate Phineas and Ferb's inventions. The same to auto part supply stores. We couldn't find any building materials. At the moment, there was nothing to defend ourselves with. We were stuck.

I fished through the bag and walked over to Ferb. I paused.

"_You're not eating_?" I chattered, raising an eyebrow.

"I want to make sure there's enough for Phineas," my boy stated.

"_Phineas could eat five whole sandwiches with how much food is left_," I pointed to the tables. "_Go on, dig in_." I held up a finger. "_Hold on_." I pulled an item out of the bag and the green-haired boy mustered a smiled. I was able to track down a copy of "_The Odyssey_", one of Ferb's favorite books.

He muttered his thanks and started for the food tables. I quickly snagged his arm as he went passed. Looking him square in the eyes, "_How is he_?"

He released an unsteady breath, closed his eyes, and shook his head.

_No change, huh?_ I lowered my head, but kept the steady gaze. "_I'll go check on him_."

* * *

><p>Doofenshmirtz's bedroom was being used as a medical facility. We only needed one room because there was just one patient. My webbed feet drove a sullen trek down the hall.<p>

I held a peanut butter sandwich in one teal hand, a notebook in the other, and the first-aid box under an arm. A slight clatter sounded. My eyes snapped up to see one of the agents turning a doorknob. A fluffy, snow-white rabbit.

Growling, I sped at him and shoved him away from the door. Dennis stumbled back before glaring.

"_Pardon my curiosity_," he scoffed.

"_You're lucky I let you within a ten-foot radius of Ferb_," I held up the notebook to jab a finger in his direction. "_You're pushing it by going anywhere _near_ Phineas_."

"_You're wasting precious time_," Dennis shook his head, long ears flopping. "_We should be planning when to fight_." He narrowed his blue eyes. "_You know what's inevitable for that boy_."

I faltered and lowered my gaze, saying nothing.

"_Oh, poor platypus_," the bunny goaded. "_Did I strike a nerve_?" A warning snarl tried to escape my throat.

Dennis was an agent of OWCA, but went rogue. A month or so ago, he found his way into my house, broke into my lair and nearly succeeded in getting his paws on secret agency information. He was here for the same reason we were: to rebel. The rabbit may not have a good mindset, nor was he that trustworthy, but we needed recruits and he didn't want to work for Rodney. Who would?

"_You're right_," I agreed. "_I _am_ wasting my time…arguing with you_." I reached up to turn the doorknob, then looked back at him. "_I brought stuff to make sandwiches with. There's plenty of food to go around_." As I opened the door, I swore he muttered a 'thank you'.

Stepping into the quiet, peaceful room, I set the stuff on the coffee table next to the bed.

The sheets and blankets shifted as Phineas stirred.

_* Don't worry, this story will explain itself as it goes along._


	3. Three Words

_* I referenced the song "Robot Riot". **I don't own the song "Robot Riot".** I referenced the episodes "Let's Bounce", "Monster From The Id", and "Bully Bormance Break Up". **I don't own any of the episodes.**_

Chapter 2

"Oh," Phineas managed a meager grin. "There you are, Perry." His arms shuddered as he tried to prop himself on his elbows. I frowned and put my teal hands to his shoulders, gently forcing him back against the pillows. His body jolted with slight pain.

"So," he asked as I opened the first-aid box and lifted one of his scraped arms. "How was the mission?"

After a pause, I brought my hand up and put it through a slight rocking motion. "_So-so_" was my response.

My mission was to infiltrate Rodney's headquarters, figure out why so many people suddenly decided to work for him, and destroy The Inizer, if possible. The whole task was utterly pointless…until the very end, that is. I still had to show Ferb the helmet I found.

I wrapped the ace-bandage from his shoulder down to his palm.

Phineas was covered in scrapes, bruises, and burns from head to toe. Most of his cuts had to be stitched and his singed flesh made moving nearly impossible. Any little shift, stir, or shuffle brought Phineas into excruciating agony.

The poor boy produced a wide, sleepless yawn as I place a hand against the middle of his spine. For the first time in the last few weeks, he didn't struggle against me as I lightly pushed him until he was sitting up. He stared at me, and then sighed. Phineas knew I had to get to the wounds on his stomach and chest.

With hands shaking, Phineas curled his small fists around the bottom rim of the shirt. He brought it up a few inches before the skin of his fingertips – not fingernails – brushed against his belly. Crying out, he let the shirt drop to its original position. Drops of tears leaked from his closed eyes. I reached out a teal hand to comfort him. He instantly tried to lean away from my touch. I looked into fearful eyes.

For a short amount of time, all the trust I had built with my boy completely vanished.

Phineas stared at me. He blinked, followed by a relaxed sag of the shoulders. I could just about hear his muscles groaning when he slowly lifted his arms above his head. _Let's try this again._ Phineas finally let me pull the tattered, orange-striped tee off him.

I put myself to work on unwrapping the old bandages. Every now and again Phineas would let out helpless whimpers or yelps. Under the wrappings laid the core source of Phineas' pain.

On his chest and thin stomach rested a large, beat-red, painful-to-look-at scorch mark that stretched from there to his back. Sitting on the edge of the bed, I paused briefly before grabbing the clean bandages.

The entire tri-state area could fall at the hands of a scientist for all cared. For me, my sole job was to protect my host family. The sheer fact that I was the one who created this much doom for them was the biggest slap in the face imaginable. We saved both ours and the other dimension's Danville from a robot riot, put the alternate Doofenshmirtz to justice, escaped being eaten by a goozim, and Ferb even managed to break out of a self-destructing building.

Yet, I still failed.

I slipped the shirt back over him. Phineas managed to keep himself upright long enough to finish his sandwich. At the sounds of the constant and uncomfortable clearing of his throat, I got an apple juice box from within my hat and passed it to him. After drinking a swig – which would be half the contents of the box – he glanced from the corner of his eyes to my direction.

"Look," Phineas swallowed a bite. "There's got to be something I-"

My head shook rapidly. "_If I've told you once, I've told you a thousand times_," I flashed him an unwavering, stern look. "_You are _not_ getting involved. Besides_," I waved a hand towards his legs. "_You can barely walk as it is_."

He groaned, placing the half-eaten sandwich on the paper plate. "I feel so _useless_ sitting here. Everyone else is contributing to this rebellion, and I'm not doing anything to help." He put a scratched hand to his sore throat. "Isn't there anything I can do?" The desperation in his eyes explained everything.

It's been weeks since Phineas and Ferb invented. Ferb was handling it relatively well, or he just wasn't vocalizing it. Phineas, however, was going stir-crazy. Not only did he have zero materials to work with, but he also had to remain cooped up in a room where he couldn't have much interaction with anyone.

I smiled and held up my index finger. His eyebrows rose as I reached behind to the coffee table. He was already grinning from ear to ear before I gave him the notebook. Phineas mouthed the words as he read the label on the cover.

_'Phineas' Book of Blueprints',_ it read.

Whenever the boys were out of town or on the go to the point where they didn't have access to the larger sheets of blueprints, Phineas always remembered to bring along the notebook that was filled with graphing paper.

"I can't believe you found this," he exclaimed as he flipped through the pages. "You want me to think of some inventions for the rebellion?" I nodded, which made his head tilt to the side. "I thought you didn't want me included in this."

"_I just don't want you _physically_ involved_." Satisfied, Phineas shrugged.

His classic smile and enthusiasm sparked back to life as he went over some of the past inventions.

For the next half hour, all thoughts of Rodney's takeover had been thrown out the window. Phineas spoke in high-speed as he went on and on about the creations he drew in the notebook. He told me about anti-gravity trampolines, a mind machine to enter one's subconscious. There was also an idea for an ice chalet they were going to add in the book. However, due to unforeseen events, Phineas had to create it on the fly.

All the while, a content grin played on my bill as I applied the last of the band-aids and ointments.

I threw the older wrappings into the garbage can, placed the notebook and the last bits of the sandwich on the table, and pulled my owner into a hug. The little boy yawned while pressing his forehead against my shoulder, eyes shutting. I produced a deep purring noise in the back of my throat, similar to the sound I made for Ferb during the whole avalanche thing on Christmas. Phineas' entire body relaxed.

After he produced a light snore, I moved him to where his head rested on the pillows and tucked the blankets around him. He shifted in his sleep, his thin arms clasping around his stomach. The burn marks weren't the only things bothering him. A sorrowed frown played on my features.

"Is he getting better?" Ferb walked into the hallway as I quietly closed the bedroom door. His eyes looked directly into mine, anticipating a response.

I didn't want to answer him. "It's just a few scrapes," Ferb tried to undermine the situation. "He'll eventually recover?" I didn't even want him to question it. The only reply I could give would tear him apart.

When I didn't give it to him, he shook his head and reached for the doorknob. I quickly snatched his wrist.

"_Wait_," I chattered, pulling him towards his room. "_I need to talk to you about something_."

Ferb pulled up a chair for me to sit on while he took to the cot that was his bed. I made sure the door was closed before 'talking' to him.

I briefly looked to the floor before I finally decided to meet his gaze. He studied my unusually sullen face and blinked in astonishment when tears started to form. I regrettably fished the notepad and pen from my hat and jotted down three words. I held the paper in my grasp before handing it to him.

Ferb started to unfold it. He stopped and look at me with worried suspicion. I could see it. Something within was warning him, pleading him not to open it. He ignored the coax and read the paper.

The parchment plummeted to the floor. With a slightly parted mouth and widened eyes, he stared, silently begging me to tell him I was joking. "No," He whispered. Moisture collected and dribbled over his cheeks.

The paper remained on the floor, unfolded, relentlessly mocking us.

_Phineas is dying._


	4. The Universe Wins

_*This chapter will seem slightly confusing for the first half. If it is too confusing, even after reading the entire chapter, please let me know and I shall adjust it._

_I referenced the episodes "The Quietist Day Ever", "I, Brobot". **I don't own any episodes.**_

The Universe Wins

(Perry's POV)

_Oh, for the love of-_

_Every time I leave those two boys alone they somehow manage to find trouble. If anything, I should put them in plastic bubbles, for crying out loud!_

_A terrible cry erupted from the other side of the bedroom door and I reached to grab the knob. I forced my willpower to pull my teal hand away. I had to keep in mind that the doctor was doing all he could and needed no interruptions to do his job._

_I stared at the sign that read _'Phineas and Ferb's Room'_. "_Don't worry, Agent P_," I chattered to myself, holding my fedora in a death-grip. "_He's the finest human physician OWCA has to offer. Phineas will be fine_." I swallowed and repeated, "_He'll be fine_."_

_I stashed my hat away and started downstairs – I had been pacing for well over an hour and I'm pretty sure a rut was forming beneath the carpet – to see how Ferb was doing. All the while, I thought it to be odd that the parents and Candace have been out so late._

_"How is he?" Ferb asked as we quietly sat side by side on the couch. My shoulders sagged. "This _is_ Phineas we're talking about. He_ is_ going to get better." I shrugged._

_Somehow, someway, Rodney got his mitts on the map to my lair entrances. Apparently, he started off with the one at the mall, then when he was done gathering information from the computer's database a pipe sucked him up into the living room while everyone was asleep. He posed an extreme threat when he entered my territory, but crossed a well-drawn line when he stole my boys. Then, what do you know? He fires his Inizer… at Phineas._

_My fists curled and a dangerous snarl ripped from my throat. _When I see Rodney again…when I get my hands on that evil, moronic, no-good-

_Ferb placed his hands around the tops my arms to cease my rage-shaking body. Hours ago, he told me that revenge solved nothing. The look that Ferb showed reminded me of that. He was right, of course. Though revenge was out of the question, there was a way to insure none of this would ever happen again. I would do something that I had taken into consideration months prior to Rodney's takeover._

_As soon as Phineas recovered, as soon as Danville was safe again, I planned to build an Amnesia-nator. I absolutely hated to admit it, but everything was a lot simpler when Phineas and Ferb didn't know I was a secret agent._

_"_Universe_," I thought to myself. "_You win_."_

_Later, Candace called the house. I admit that a breath of relief escaped me as she chatted with Ferb. My boy asked about the mom and dad, but Candace wasn't sure of their whereabouts. They both assumed the parents extended their time at whatever restaurant they may have gone to. Their tones were oddly wistful and nonchalant. After explaining that she was staying longer at Stacey's to watch a movie, Ferb's eyes slipped closed as he laid his head on a couch pillow._

_The light clunking of shoes on a hardwood floor faded and a door from upstairs creaked open._

_My eyes widened. I rushed to the hallway closet. Throwing its door aside, I snatched a thick blanket, ran to the living room, threw it over a sleeping Ferb, sped up the stairs, and lurched to a halt at the top._

_Looking back on it, I never really focused on the doctor, just the stress at hand. I don't remember what he looks like or his name, but I do recall all of his facial expression._

_Stoic for the most part._

_He stood just outside Phineas and Ferb's room. The man flicked imaginary dust from his gray lab coat, put his fingers to his forehead, and sighed gravely. I walked closer and chattered softly to get his attention._

_"I'm only authorized to exchange Phineas' information with a parent or guardian," The doctor crouched to my level. "Correct me if I'm wrong," I swore he glared at me. "But I do believe you're neither."_

_I scowled back, whipped the fedora on, and flashed my '_Spy_' badge at him. The doctor mumbled in defeat._

_"I hate it when agents use the badges as if they can get anything they want."_

_"_Well_," I chattered with a hint of humor. "_You're just one big ray of sunshine, aren't you_?"_

_"Look," The doctor sighed. "I'm going to give it to you straight. The boy has both external and internal injuries." He paused at my questioning stare. "He managed to ingest a decent amount of Boom Juice. Now, the kid-" I growled and he continued with irritation. "_Phineas," he clarified._ "has many infected cuts and his bones are cracked to the point where they had to be broken again to reset them." I winced._

_"Those will heal," The doctor paid little attention to my moment of respite. "His insides are a different story." My heart jumped unsteadily. "Boom Juice isn't totally lethal… unless it is consumed." I froze. "This kind of thing _has_ happened a fair amount of times. I do know what I'm talking about._

_"First," He ticked off as if he was going through a grocery list. "he'll fall victim to various mild illnesses such as colds. During all that, he'll experience muscle pains and any sort of movement will become more difficult with each day._

_"The Boom Juice will finally affect the stomach, giving Phineas flu-like symptoms. He'll lose his appetite, vomit, gradually get weaker and weaker…"_

_A bit of compassion unexpectedly sparked in his eyes. I didn't realize my head was slowly shaking back and forth until the doctor put a hand on my shoulder._

_"Phineas and Ferb may be the most creative and inventive boys in the Tri-State Area," he said. "But there is _no_ antidote, operation, or cure that can only be obtained from a mythical planet. The Boom Juice can't be extracted from his system by any means. It will attack Phineas from the inside._

_"He's going to suffer, miserably and painfully."_

_I slapped my hands over my ears and chattered loudly at an attempt to drown him out. Unfortunately, it didn't work._

_"Sir," the doctor reasoned with some respect. "I know you don't want to hear this. I don't even like to talk about these matters, believe it or not." He sighed. "Most of his injuries may recover, but it'll hardly matter. Let's just say I'll be surprised if he makes it to the end of next week."_

_Truthfully, I'm happy I can scarcely remember my emotions that day, they were all shoved to the back of my mind. I do vaguely remember tears blurring my vision and my legs shaking in near horror._

_The doctor made one suggestion, a way to ease Phineas' upcoming misery. It was a way to end his pain before it began. My fists reformed for the second time that evening. I took to a fighting stance and stood directly in front of the man who was only trying to help._

_I snarled under my breath and pointed to the stairs. "_Out_." No one-_no one-_was taking any of my boys away from me, not like that. Over my cold, unmoving body!_

_The doctor tried reasoning with me again, but he soon realized I wasn't going to negotiate; I wasn't going to see reason. Taking the hint, he handed me a small vial of painkillers, trudged down the steps, and left out the front door._

* * *

><p>(Back to the Present)<p>

"Wrong," Ferb whispered, hands curling around the sides of the cot. "A sick joke."

"_I would never joke about this_," I chattered lightly. That's when he asked me to tell him I was lying, begging me that it wasn't true.

"The doctor was lying, of course," The boy with the green hair paced hastily about the room. It's been a while since Ferb has ever talked this much. "He probably wasn't even a real doc-" I didn't want to force him to stop, but I seized his shoulders. Eyes already swimming with tears, I gave him an unwavering, steady stare.

Ferb blinked and studied my gaze as if he was reading one of his books, focused and barely faltering.

Then, my boy gasped. He dropped to his knees and pressed his face against my shoulder. Fresh, sorrowful tears splattered on my teal fur. I dipped my head and brought the fedora over my bill.

Feeling useless and unable to do a thing, it felt like Phineas was in a self-destructing building this time. Only, he wouldn't reappear safe and sound like Ferb did.

Ferb sat on the bed. I let him grieve even though I still wasn't done crying.

My webbed foot brushed against smooth material. _When did I put the duffle bag in Ferb's room?_ Casually, I unzipped it and swept my sight over its contents. That helmet still remained inside.


	5. Corndog What?

_* I referenced The Fairly Odd Parents in the chapter title. **I don't own The Fairly Odd Parents.** I referenced the Phineas and Ferb episodes 'Brain Drain' and "Phineas and Ferb Get Busted". **I don't own any of the episodes.**_

_**I'm** **just letting you know** that a lot of things in this story are purposefully left vague. Any questions (**any**) that you may have should really be saved until the very end. The ending may give you a little suprise._

Corndog What?

_(A few weeks later…)_

"So," Jeremy scratched his temple. "If you crosswire the Devolition-ator helmet's frequency, you'd be able to short-circuit the signal between every helmet in use, then all of Rodney's 'cronies'" – Candace's boyfriend added air quotes – "will be free. Did I get all that?"

Ferb tossed and turned the silver headgear in his hands. "Yes," he responded while beginning to bunch multicolored wires together. Any building materials that were needed had to either be scavenged in the streets or gutted from an electronic in Doofenshmirtz's lab.

"It's all theoretical, though," Isabella comented as her Chihuahua gazed at a 'Remedial Engineering' patch that his owner earned many a time with Phineas and Ferb. "Even if it worked I'm pretty sure a villain like him has spies all over the place."

"There's a chance a minion has already relayed our plans to Rodney," Carl added after putting away his cassette player, being mindful of where he kept his recording of "Dr. Coconut".

"If," Baljeet enunciated as he spun around on the chair, facing away from the massive computer screen. "a minion found out about this plan, he would've had to discover our location first. Had he or she found us, we would've probably been captured a month ago."

The boy turned, shuffled and clicked the mouse, and the computer spat out a sheet of paper with various equations printed on it. "Isabella is right, however," Baljeet continued to muse. "The plan is largely speculative."

"It'll work." Many faces stared questioning at Ferb.

"And how can you be so sure?" Buford crossed his arms while his video game made a blipping and whirring sound his left hand.

"Because the same person who thought of this also designed an undetectable cloaking device around Evil Incorporated several days ago," Ferb paused, taking out a notebook overflowing with small leaflets of blueprints.

* * *

><p>(Perry's POV)<p>

I tapped a soft rhythm on the door. It opened to reveal a frizzy-haired, bleary-eyed teenage girl. The redhead closed her tired eyes in grief.

"I hope you have a trick up your sleeve," Candace groaned. "'Cause I don't know _what_ to do."

Phineas laid in a miserable, sweating heap on the bed. His arm was draped over the bedside and his fingers rested on the rim of a miniscule, office trashcan. I bent towards the floor, curled my teal fingers around the blanket, and tossed it onto his shivering form. My feet ran me over to the tiny fridge in the corner of the room. After grabbing bottled water, yogurt, and an icepack, I pattered back over and placed the compress on his ghost-pale forehead.

"He's cold," Candace pondered. "Why would he need an icepack?"

I chattered and placed my palm against the side of Phineas' head. "_He has a fever_."

The sister sighed. "Phineas hasn't opened his eyes once today," Candace sat on the edge of the bed. "But he's vomited nearly half of his stomach in the last few hours."

"_He vomited half of his stomach _yesterday."

"I've tried everything," She suddenly stood up to pace. "Antacid, ginger ale, cold _and_ warm water, soup, painkillers; he just keeps getting worse and worse. The impossibility of busting my brothers is one thing, but not being able to help with just the flu is another."

Candace blinked. "I'm concerned about getting my brothers in trouble while one of them might as well be on his deathbed." _Oh, sweet irony._ She buried her face in her palms. "I'm a terrible sister, aren't I?"

I touched her shoulder until her attention was on me. I grabbed a clean towel from off the nightstand and a notepad from my hat. Ripping out the paper, I gave both items to her.

"_Go take shower_," It read. "_hang out with your boyfriend, and get some rest. I'll take care of Phineas for the rest of night_." After I confirmed he was going to be okay, Candace finally closed the door behind her.

This was usually how it went, at least in the recent days. We all had jobs and talents to contribute to the rebellion, but almost everyone one of us took turns watching Phineas. Had he not managed to build a cloaking device with Ferb I would be infinitely more paranoid about his safety.

_My_ job, though, was slightly different. I had to be leader, sentry, pet, agent, and, at this point, nursemaid. Take the sandwiches, for example. Everyone was either too afraid to go out by themselves, or they wouldn't be able to defend themselves if need be. Moreover, there was the tasking matter of finding whatever medication Phineas required. On several occasions, Ferb would volunteer to get the necessities. This offer came with a short '_no_' from me before he even had a chance to finish his sentence.

At first glance, you would think Ferb was taking his brother's 'imminent outcome' in stride. Look closer and you'd see the bags under his glossy eyes from tearful, sleepless nights.

In the early – very early – hours of the morning, I would walk into his room, hug him, and tell him it's going to be okay.

"The doctor said…" Ferb would sometimes say into my shoulder.

"_This is _Phineas_ we're talking about here_," I'd chatter. "_He'll get better somehow. I'll make sure of it_."

I nodded, keeping those thoughts in mind.

The blanket shifted a moment. Suddenly, Phineas bolted upright and dove into a fit of hacks and coughs. He leant against his side to hold his head over the trashcan. Ducking out of the way of the flying icepack, I numbly shot to the bed, embracing and sitting right next to him. I tried not to shudder as his wheezing turned to dry heaves. My teal hands rubbed his back, slow and comforting.

"P-" Phineas muttered a whimper as he calmed down and quietly smacked his dry lips together. "Perry."

I reached for the water, uncapped it, and put its rim to his lips. Phineas drank half of it in a matter of seconds. Apprehensive intakes of breath crawled about the soundproof room. I couldn't tell if the gasping belonged to Phineas or me.

"Man," Phineas groaned as he took another sip of the water. My teeth gritted as his enthusiastic, groggy, scraped voice rang out. "Not one of my better days, or weeks." The corners of his mouth twitched. That was all the smile he could muster, but I was just happy to see his eyes open.

I pushed him back so I could look at him. Assured that he could sit up on his own, I tore the lid off the yogurt.

"I don't want any," Phineas tilted his head away. My eyebrows quirked before I dipped the spoon in the yogurt and took bite to show him it was good.

Still, his head shook. "I'm not hungry," Phineas kept his mouth turned from the food. "It'll just come back up later anyway." Phineas didn't eat anything yesterday, either.

_'Loss of appetite'_ echoed in my head. My heart painfully skipped a beat. With a resigned sigh, I put the food in a plastic bag and stuck it back in the fridge.

"_You're so thin that you're putting toothpicks to shame_." I chattered disapprovingly. "_You're eating something first thing in the morning_." It didn't take long at all for him to fall asleep.

I was curled up next to his scrawny shoulder, opposite of the trashcan in case he needed it. In previous days, Phineas adopted the habit of talking in his sleep. It was probably the only thing keeping him sane.

"Mm," Phineas turned on his side. "Corn…dog," I tilted my head to the side. "Mm, yummy…" He proceeded with some snoring.

Did I say '_sane_'? "_Never mind the yogurt_," I shook my head. "_You're getting a Thanksgiving feast tomorrow morning if you're _this_ hungry_." I paused. "_And maybe a corndog, too_."

The doctor didn't lie; Phineas was truly suffering. I paused my thoughts a moment...Perhaps the doctor's original plan was better-

_No!_ I shook my head. I don't care what that quack said, my boy will get better. He needs to.

The doorknob clicked as I whipped my fedora out. I thought I locked it.

"Uh, hey," I exhaled as Doofenshmirtz peeked in the room. "Just came to see how everything was."

My hand flashed a thumbs-up. The scientist nodded before he started walking away.

"Alright," He exclaimed in a whisper and pushed back into the room. "They feed you," He gestured to Phineas. "They pet you, give you shelter, and drag you everywhere like a common dog. What's so special about these owners of yours?"

We exchanged a staring contest for a good five minutes while I tried to come up with an answer.

"_What's so special about Vanessa_?" I asked.

"You're joking right," His eyes widened a little, his scratchy voice climbing. "I'd do anything for her. She's my baby." I blinked and said nothing further.

She was lucky. Vanessa, her friends, and her 'punk-rock boyfriend' were at a heavy metal concert, miles upon miles away from the Tri-State Area. Doofenshmirtz was never fond of this idea, but his ex-wife convinced him otherwise. Due to the recent events, you can imagine he was now all for the impromptu road trip.

"…still doesn't explain why you never told me-" My nemesis stopped. "Hang on," he seemed to realize something. "Di-did you think I was ever actually going to _hurt_ your owners?"

I waved a firm hand. "_You were right there when Rodney blasted at Phineas and Ferb_."

"Hey," He raised defensive hands. "I may be evil, but I would never harm a child."

"_But you never stopped Rodney_," My teeth clicked together. "_You stood there like a buffoon_."

I'm going to explain this as clearly as possible.

Doofenshmirtz was about to elaborate further. I couldn't tell if he was going to agree or continue arguing, but whatever he was about to say was never finished. It felt like the room gave a short jolt. I was about to ask the man if he noticed it, but he was already out the door.

…What just happened?

Doofenshmirtz never gave me a direct response. Every time I asked him about this in the days that followed, he would give me a funny look and say nothing further.

Phineas began losing his appetite altogether and his body heat stayed at a constant, sweltering temperature. The only good that came out of this was the cease in vomiting.

It just gets better and better, too.

An example: the foundation of DEI began shaking like an earthquake.


	6. It Won't Work

It Won't Work

(Perry's POV)

Midnight.

DEI had lapsed into an almost serene silence of various snores. Everyone sleeping was the equivalent to a breath of fresh air. For the moment, no chaos flourished, not a sharp clatter resided. Only the light crank of a wrench broke the evening.

Ferb and I exchanged glances as I made my way to the room's center.

"_How's it coming_?" I asked as I sat down beside my owner. Ferb supported a small, oval-shaped device in his tired arms. Everything in that silver device was made from gutting the Devolition-ator. Even the outer shell of the gadget was shaped out of melted scraps of the helmet's exterior.

All that had to be done was to push the buttons on its face, and then every Devolition-ator in the Tri-State Area's radius should short-circuit and stop working.

"It won't work." My lingering stare questioned his statement. Ferb pointed to the far side of the room where a large pile of broken and bent gears and wires laid. "If I can't even build a device that can successfully fix my own brother, then how can you even think this-" my boy raised his 'Short Circuit-nator'. "will ever work."

I brushed my hand against his arm and looked into his eyes. "_It has to_."

Ferb eyes dropped as he shook his head.

_It has to work_, I repeatedly thought to myself.

"He's not going to get better," Ferb suddenly asked. I blinked. "Is he?"

I chattered reassuringly, forcing a smile onto my face. Ferb nodded, knowing I would do everything in my power to make sure Phineas became well again.

My grin quickly drooped as I realized the evident bags under his eyes. Giving a soft, lulling chatter, "_You're exhausted_," I softly ruffled his green hair before pushing his shoulders towards a sleeping bag. "_Get some sleep_."

Ferb coughed back a chuckle. "You treat us as if we're your own children." He yawned, ducking under the covers.

After switching some dim lamps off, a set of feet padded up from behind.

"_Here_," Dennis the rabbit instantly shoved a tiny orange bottle against my chest and I was just able to catch it before it fell to the floor.

"_I was out trying to find food when I walked past a destroyed drugstore_," Dennis explained with an odd mixture of irritation and calm. "_And no one's had the gall to find the kid's medication so…_" With a dignified upturn of the chin, he reeled around towards his sleeping bag in the corner.

I got his attention before he even laid down. "…_Thank you,_" I whispered.

His cold gaze unexpectedly softened, making his ears droop slightly. "_You really…care a lot about these humans of yours, don't you_?"

I didn't get to give an answer, he was already laying his head down on the pillow. I briefly wondered whatever happened to Dennis's owners, if he even had any.

Something vibrated beneath my webbed feet. I sighed, assuming I trampled on Candace's cell phone. Again.

The vibrating ceased. While thinking up another apology I reached to the floor. There was no cell phone. Pausing for that second, the floor shook again.

_Okay!_ I know I missed something because one minute everything was _relatively_ fine. The next thing I knew, everyone in the building was up and running, scrambling as the entire structure of Evil Incorporated came on to a non-stop flurry of shakes and groans.

"_Don't just stand there, you idiot_," Dennis appeared blurry in my vision. "_Let's get out of here_!" His snow-white fist shot out and tried to snatch my teal arm.

"_No_," I growled with a step-back. "_Not without my boys_."

I ran and swiftly yanked the apartment door open with a slam. My index finger made a head count as everyone pushed and shoved to leave the doomed building.

My heart jumped with immense relief as Ferb trailed behind Carl, a weary Phineas nestled in the intern's arms.

* * *

><p>"I'm never," Ferb muttered with his muddy arms wrapped around me. "going into another evil scientist's self-destructing building…again."<p>

"_I thought you learned your lesson the first time_."

From the shelter of a medley of overturned vegetable carts, we all watched DEI shake, roar, and finally heaved to the point where it…

Stopped.

My arms sagged at my sides. "_That wasn't an earthquake_," I questioned. "_So why is it not blowing up_." After letting Ferb go I turned to face my comrades. "_Doesn't anyone else_-"

"What the heck are we supposed to do now," Buford whined. "Our hideout has pretty much been destroyed, and the pointy-eared psycho's probably sent his lackeys to come and get us."

"_What. In. The _world?" My chatter was so loud it could break wine glasses. I bleakly heard Phineas' light groan. "_What the heck are you _talking _about? Our hideout is fine, intact. As of right now, that's the only_ thing _that's fine_." I snarled in agitation, pacing and pointing at everybody and everything. "_We're supposedly stranded, Rodney's minions are looking for us, none of us have thought out a plan, _he's_ dyeing_-" I jabbed a finger towards Phineas. "_And every time something big, cataclysmic, or just plain out of ordinary comes up you act like it never happened. What is _wrong_ with you guys_?"

My breath came and went in short, tired gasps. They were all staring at me.

"_Please_," I blinked after I attempted to compose myself. "_Please tell me you didn't understand _everything_ I said. Quite frankly, that would be both awkward and creepy_."

"Perry," A meek voice croaked. That tone alone was enough to make me completely forget my ranting.

I quickly pattered over to Phineas who still remained in Carl's grasp. I chattered low and reassuringly as I knelt next to them. The redhead slowly turned, pale eyelids finally blinking open to a narrow.

"_You're talking again_," I thought with a warm smile and a spark of hope. His features remained motionless. Phineas' chapped mouth parted halfway.

"I don't feel so well."

…Those words stung more than thousands of arrows combined. Coming from any other person that statement would be natural, but coming from Phineas was…

I leaned forward, hugging and chattering to him. "_I know_." From my peripheral vision, Isabella let out a short whimper, her very first reaction to Phineas' ailment.

A sharp hack emitted, as if my boy's vocal chords permanently gave out.

It didn't take long for Phineas to slip out of consciousness, which was recently nothing new. He would most likely wake up again in less than five hours, as was routine. I pulled away with exaggerated slowness, peering at his weary form. His entire body was pallor from feet to hands.

My head tilted along with a quirk of an brow as I gazed curiously at Phineas' hand that was closed into a fist. Uncurling his fingertips, I took a sheet of blueprint paper from his grip.

"It's an entire Rebellion plan!" Gretchen of the Fireside Girls exclaimed.

"With this," Jeremy hollered after looking over the diagrams. "We can save Danville and our families in one fell swoop. It's awesome!" He passed the paper to his girlfriend.

"You're a genius, Phineas," Candace grinned from ear to ear before whispering, "I'm so proud of you, little bro."

"_Do you remember him designing this_?" I asked Ferb who merely shrugged. After setting Phineas on as many blankets and bedding that could be recovered through all the garbage, and giving him the most gracious 'thank-you', we all started circling around the blueprints.

I reached and snagged Ferb's arm. Using my eyes, I pointed to Phineas' resting form, then back to Ferb.

"Wait a minute," Buford spoke up. "This plan involves everybody here. So who's going to watch Dinnerbell."


	7. Trusting a Plan

* _I referenced the episodes "She's The Mayor", "Buford Confidential", and "No More Bunny Business". **I don't own any Phineas and Ferb episodes.** I also referenced the movie "ParaNorman" and "Phineas and Ferb: Across The Second Dimension". I referenced the book "Homer's Odyssey". **I don't own the movie "ParaNorman" and/or "Phineas and Ferb: Across The Second Dimension". I don't own the book "Homer's Odyssey".**_

Trusting a Plan

I mumbled to myself, berating. _Why did I do that?_ I grumbled. _Why didn't _I_ stay behind?_

"He'll be fine, Perry," Jeremy reassured as we cautiously climbed over a line of rusted cars.

"We can trust him," Isabella added. Her eyes travelled over Phineas' plans. We had to leave him in Doofenshmirtz's care, of all people!

I mean, what if the doctor suddenly decides to – I don't know – build an inator and it blows up right in Phineas' face?

"_Well_," Dennis offered. "_Would you rather have the evil scientist watch him, or_" – he pointed his snow-white thumbs at himself – "_an adorable bunny rabbit_?"

I blinked, shoving even more abysmal garbage out of my path. "_Good point_."

"I still don't see why Phineas wanted us to bring our possessions with us, though," Candace whispered when we stopped at the foot of a patio. "Wow, the mayor's office hasn't changed a bit."

No crack in the walls, decay in the pavement, or aging of any kind. The white and gray, pristine structure had stayed as formal as ever. The only thing missing was the flag that sat at the very tip top of the roof.

"We ready?" Carl gulped anxiously. We glanced once at each other, perhaps considering second thoughts.

However, with some of us smiling in anticipation, we all joined hands and walked forward.

* * *

><p>The main doors were already unlocked. Most likely Rodney assumed he had no competition.<p>

Ferb whistled loudly right before we tried walking to the stairway on the other side of the room. The boy took out a paint can and sprayed a green mist over the air. Thin, read, laser beams flickered when the paint hit.

"They're motion sensors," Ferb explained. "We take another step they'll immediately point at us and will alert Rodney of our presence."

"Hey," Gretchen, one of the Fireside Girls, piped up. "We didn't get our 'Secret Agent' patches for nothing. Right, boss?"

For the first time in weeks, Isabella and her troop mustered twisted, but positively genuine, grins. "Right," Their leader agreed. "Candace," She turned to the redhead. "Do you still have your Ducky Momo doll?"

Candace nodded skeptically.

"And Buford," Holly spoke to the bully. "Do you still have your 'Jump N' Duck' video game?"

"Yeah," He nodded gruffly while pulling the game from his pocket. "But what makes you think I'm going to give it to you?"

"Fine, I guess you won't be seeing Brigitte ever again..."

Buford paused before forking the toy over.

"Now," Isabella said as she positioned the game on Ducky Momo's yellow belly. "we just need something to tie them together with." She tapped dirt-covered chin. "Alright Carl, we need your cassette tape."

"No!" The intern yelped. "Not Doctor Coconut! Please! I'll do anything-" He jumped when the girl tore the music track from his hands.

"We'll buy you a new one," Isabella compromised before she ripped the tape out of the cassette and wrapped it around the doll and video game. Not even wasting a moment, she tossed the doll into the open.

The lasers zeroed in on the defenseless toys, but each beam hit the screen of the game console and bounced off in all directions. The heat of the lasers ended up blasting several security cameras as well leaving a clear opening.

"So," Candace panted as we ran across the room and up the stairs. "Why did we have to use my doll for all that?"

"The floors were just waxed," Isabella explained. "The hard plastic of the video game wouldn't even skid two inches. Ducky Momo's soft fur made the capability of sliding all the way to the center of the room."

The steps brought us all the way up to the top floor. And I made up to the hallway first.

"_Guys_," I chattered. "_We have company_."

Everyone gasped when they laid their eyes upon Rodney's minions. Each of them were either innocent towns folk or evil scientists, but they all had one thing in common. A Devolitionator rested on every head.

Ferb and I looked at each other briefly before nodding. My boy brought out the 'Short Circuit-inator' and flipped it's switch. At first, nothing seemed to happen. Ferb visibly frowned, trying it again. It still didn't do anything. He gulped.

Everyone's helmets should've cease control, but they were still coming towards us in their zombie-like state. Ferb's device wouldn't turn on.

It didn't work.

"_It's okay, kiddo_," I trilled, making sure he was slightly behind me. "_We'll…figure something out_."

From the corner of my eye, I saw Jeremy bending down to swipe his hand against the floor. He muttered something about these tiles not being waxed.

"Hey, lackeys," Jeremy hollered at Rodney's cronies. They didn't cease their approach "You know, I was hoping that would stop you just so you wouldn't be humiliated." Suddenly, the musician overturned his box of guitar picks and scattered them at our enemies feet.

It didn't take long for them to starting slipping like they were on banana peels.

The Fireside girls leapt forward and began tying their sashes together. In a flurry of yellow, the kids had managed to bind the minions up against two Corinthian posts.

Before we could do anything that bordered on high-fiving, shouts and footsteps resounded from behind.

"I don't have any guitar picks left," Jeremy muttered.

"And believe or not," Adyson pointed out. "The Fireside Girls don't have an infinite length of sashes."

"_Don't worry_," Dennis growled as he sharpened some carrots against his buckteeth. "_I got this_."

"_But-"_

"_If I can break into the best secret agent's lair while fighting said agen_t," The rabbit figured. "_I'm pretty sure I can take care of Rodney's minions_."

"Actually," Carl stuttered a little as him and the others stepped up beside him. "We're not going to let you do it alone."

Trying to hide an obvious smile, the former agent turned to me. "_You and Ferb need to find Rodney, the rest of us will take it from here_."

Nodding resolutely, I tipped my hate, snagged Ferb, and ran down the hallway.

* * *

><p>We both peeked into the room. It contained very little except for an antennae and a thin control panel lining the wall. And pointed out the window, in all its destructive glory, was Rodney's Inizer.<p>

I felt Ferb move forward, and my paranoia made me tug him back.

He pointed to the left. "That antennae is controlling the helmets," He explained. "It has to be destroyed." I eyed him suspiciously. "Rodney isn't here at the moment, plus you'll be right next to me."

He didn't wait for a confirmation and was already hard at work at dissembling the antennae.

"_Hmm_," I mused at the bright LED button attached to the control panel. "_I wonder what this thing does_."

"If I was expecting visitors I would've made some snacks." Wind whipped as I reeled around. Rodney held my boy by the shirt collar. "You gave me absolutely not time to prepare."

Nails dug sharply into my palms as my fists clenched; I snarled dangerously. "Now get away from there," Rodney waved his free hand. "The button controls my PVR recordings and I don't want you erasing anything."

As soon as he unexpectedly tossed Ferb aside, I lunged. The battle was a blur, but not because of how fast we were attacking. I was slowly getting dizzier and dizzier. Everything started melting together.

I was shoved to the floor and I could barely make out Rodney's movements from my narrowed eyes. I think I felt Ferb hugging me, too.

As soon as my sight became clear again, Rodney already had the Inizier pointed at us. For a horrifying moment, he pulled the trigger and the laser whirred to life. I held my boy tighter, clamping my eyes shut.

I didn't feel any pain, but I did hear Rodney muttering mixed profanities.

My eyes opened to see the nozzle of the Inizer being jammed by a copy of 'Homer's Odyssey'. Coughing a chuckle, Ferb winked at me.

Smiling, I felt myself sinking backwards in exhaustion. We were okay, though. It's not like the guy could actually hurt us now.

Of course, there is always that awkward moment where the bad guy manages to take the book out of a jammed laser gun and re-aim it at a platypus and a kid with green hair.

Rodney tossed the book out into the city streets and was ready to fire at us again.

"Huh?" The evil scientist exclaimed. He tried pressing the trigger again. "What the heck is wrong with you now?!"

The sound of sliding reached our ears as a small notebook skidded to a halt at Rodney's feet. He looked at the crude scrawl of the title. "_'Phineas' Book of Blueprints'..._?" He read off.

"Yeah," We all looked to the direction of the voice. "I kind of helped him with this plan." Dr. Doofenshmirtz crossed his arms with pride. "By the way," My nemesis added. "Think fast." He pointed over his shoulder at the control panel.

I couldn't believe it. My poor, sick owner was leaning precariously against the wall, ready to press the button.

"Don't," Rodney growled. "You. Dare!"

Phineas gulped as he slowly opened an eye. "Too…" He paused for a much needed breath. "Late." Giving it whatever strength he had left, he pressed down on the button.

The Inizer shuttered to sleep mode, the antennae short-circuited, and the over-all power ceased functioning. All machines were down.

"No!" Rodney screamed after the silence.

"Sorry," Phineas cracked a smile. "you lost all your recordings."

That's when Rodney ran over, threw Phineas out of the way, and started to madly push the button. "It-it'll take hours before everything recovers. My plans are ruined!" He yelled in such a maniacal manner before running over the next room. I heard Phineas groan a little.

I smiled. We won.

"Phineas?"

I turned around to see Ferb leaning next to his brother. Pattering over, I gently turned my boy to laying on his back. Phineas' eyes were closed, and he wasn't moving.

Ferb gently lowered my boy's wrist. "...I can't feel a pulse."

I don't think I'm exaggerating when I say my world had stopped. Even the clock on the wall wasn't ticking. Probably because the power just went out.

"_But_," I whispered.

"Look, Perry the platypus," Dr. D said softly, placing a hand on my shoulder. "I-"

I screeched at the top of my lungs before bowling him over. "_WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU_!" I yelled. "_How could you let him over here! He's sick, for gosh sake. He can barely _walk_!_"

"He said the plan wouldn't work unless-"

"_I don't _give_ a crud_," I spun around and slapped him hard with my tail. "_Phineas and Ferb may as well be my sons_!" I looked back at the mark I made on my nemeses face. Pausing, I studied my boys' unwavering forms. "_And now one is _gone_ because of you_."

Chilly, night air seemed to bow out of my path as I made my way to the kids. I sank to my knees. Ferb took his hand from his brother's pale shoulder and he placed his face against my arm.

Next to his nightmares, it was truly the first time I had ever heard Ferb cry.

I took my fedora from my head, stared at it in a silent good-bye, and placed it over Phineas' eyes.

Tears fell freely from our faces. _There's no way._ I couldn't accept the situation. _He can't be gone. There has to be another way. _I looked over my boys._ There _always_ is._

The ground shuddered and my dizziness returned.

Out of a large hatch in the floor, Rodney rose out and above, looking down on us. He wasn't alone.

Standing sadistically next to him was The Inizer, but way, _way_ bigger. It paled in comparison to almost every inator in the world.

"It looks like I have another trick up _my_ sleeve," Rodney sneered as he filled the laser with at least a gallon of Boom Juice. He said something about the Inizer not recquiring electricity, but there was also another portion of the sentence that I missed. My ears were ringing too hard from deafening clang of the laser.

He had already pulled the trigger. The Inizer began its warm-up.

Ferb held me tighter as instinct put my teal hand against Phineas' side. I blinked and moaned, room becoming more and more hazy. _Here it comes._

I could just barely make out the purple beam of the Inizier coming straight at us.

And, of course, darkness.

_* And, yes, there is one last chapter after this._


	8. A Sort of 'Expected' Ending

_* There is a short point in this chapter where I quite possibly could've accidentally quoted another author's story. Before any hype, I just want to say that I did not copy any scenes, just a few words of dialogue. If an author points out the quote and **wishes for me to change it, I have absolutely no problem** **doing so**. I'm still not sure, but if I did accidentally quote another story, it was purely unintentional._

The Unexpected Ending That, In All Truth, Was Meant to Be Expected

It felt like I had been sucked under an avalanche, again. I could hear and see nothing; it was oddly peaceful. Wait, was I moving forward?

Those lights, are they stars? What was I doing in space? Those tiny lights moved towards and past me, almost rhythmically picking up speed.

I was slowly drifting upward, but the stars persisted on moving quicker, faster. I couldn't accurately clock their speed now. They became white blurs and streaks against the walls of darkness.

That star. Up ahead. It's kept it shape and speed, and it's getting larger! It's blinding me.

* * *

><p>If I were human I would've screamed.<p>

I shot upright, panting to the point where I could've been sweating milk. Ignoring the seemingly lack of oxygen, my panic made me swivel around to look at the house. Rodney, Phineas, Ferb, where were they?

My eyes travelled to peer at the foot of my basket.

_Phineas…_

_I can't believe he's really… My_ basket_?_

I leapt to my webbed feet in shock. _My home_. I peered around nostalgically. The living room, the kitchen, the staircase was _all_ there.

Blinking, I took a few steps to the kitchen window and chattered excitedly. The beloved tree in the backyard stood healthy and happily against a bright blue, sunny, morning town backdrop.

Rodney's gone. Everything's back to normal.

As beautiful as the site was, the tree gave off a mocking edge. Almost normal. With a droop of the tail, I slowly swung around and turned up the stairs. I could only imagine how Ferb was doing. I gulped back a sob. We both lost our best friend.

I…I want to say that I felt worse right then. Something didn't feel right, however. The hallway was brightly lit, even for an early morning, and the air felt lighter. It's as if all the stress from the last few months had been mysteriously lifted from my shoulders.

Placing my teal hand forward, I inhaled, and pushed the bedroom door open.

A smog of grease, oil, and optimism bombarded my senses. My eyes slipped. _Mmm,_ I breathed in the near intoxicating aroma._ I oh so missed this smell._

I was ready to cast a watchful gaze over my boys before I stopped myself. I dared not look over Phineas' bed. If I saw that it was empty I would surely lose it. Shielding my left eye, my feet pattered over to the farthest right bed. Pausing, I pulled the covers back to reveal a crop of green hair.

I thought he would still be awake, he never got any sleep in the previous months. Or was it weeks?

Much to the contrary, Ferb seemed less sleep deprived than I remembered. I put a hand against the yellow arm of his pajamas, ready to shake him awake and ask questions regarding Rodney's whereabouts.

A light moan stopped me, and it didn't come from Ferb.

_Here goes nothing._

I painstakingly turned around to face the_ S.S. Phineas_. The bed sheets and blankets were ruffled and a figure was sprawled beneath the covers.

I shook my head before I could get any hopes up. Perhaps it was just Candace and this was her way of grieving. Willing to share condolences with the generally overbearing teen, I jumped to the next bed, knees sinking into the plush mattress, and I pulled the covers up to her chi-

Matching the speed of Agent C, I whipped backward onto the floor, creating a loud and obvious thud.

_That…it's…no…_ I blinked rapidly. _Impossible…_

The redhead's eyes fluttered before uttering a stretch and a yawn.

"Oh," he said just as he picked me up to set me back on the raft. "There you are, Perry." That's when he gave me his famous 'happy-go-lucky' grin. "Man, you look horrible." Phineas warmly patted patches of my scraggily fur. "You must've had _some_ nightmare."

I was frozen.

He was as good as new. No bandages showed, his breathing was normal as well as his bodyweight, and the color had returned to his face.

_It was Phineas!_

"Don't worry boy," He placed me on his lap. "It was just a dream, they aren't-"

Phineas' sentence trailed off when I bowled him over. Standing on his chest, I chattered giddily as I proceeded to nuzzle and hug him.

"Wha-" Phineas laughed as I continued to prance around like an overactive canine who had waited all too long for his master to come home. "What's gotten into you?" He tried to lightly slap me away when I playfully rested myself against the headboard to nip at his red, disheveled hair. The boy's smile broadened when I produced a familiar purr in the back of my throat.

"Okay," Phineas sighed. "Ferb and I didn't mean to spill experimental catnip flakes on your bed. We were racing into the house, one of us tripped-"

I wrapped my arms calmly around his form and it took him a moment to catch on and exchange the embrace.

_Flash. Snap!_ Still holding one another, we turned to see Ferb holding a digital camera.

"I had no idea secret agents liked to cuddle." Ferb peered humorously at a photograph on the tiny screen.

"Oh," Phineas suddenly piped up and reached at the bookshelf to grab his book of blueprints. "Speaking of cameras," He flipped through the pages. "I guarantee that if we find some way to revolutionize modern film technology-"

Ferb groaned and tugged the sheets over his eyes. "I'm not due to listen to your plans for forty-two minutes." With a chuckle, Phineas agreed before the grin was suddenly wiped from his face.

That's when the little boy grabbed under my arms and crawled into bed with his brother. Not bothering to question it, Ferb automatically took some extra blankets from under his bed and tossed them over us.

"You mutter about some weird guy in your sleep, Perry," Phineas mused. "Who's Rodney?"

"_He's the evil scientist we met before going to the park_."

Short pause. "What evil scientist?"

My eyes slid closed and I chattered tiredly. "_Never mind. Just don't get sick, don't get injured, start a rebellion, or destroy an inizer. You two are building something camera related tomorrow. Understand_?"

"O…" Phineas looked skeptically to his brother. "kay…?"

Phineas absentmindedly scratched between my shoulder blades. "Goodnight, bro. Goodnight, Perry," The redhead yawned widely. "I love you guys."

"Love you, too." The most silent one enunciated even in his sleep-induced state.

_Yes, finally_. I chattered. "_Goodnight_."

...

_* That is why this story was unnaturally **'topsy turvy'**. If you go back to the previous chapters, you'll see odd little hints of it all being a dream. Some of you may have already guessed this ending by now. If so, kudos to you!_

_**I just want to say** a humongous 'thank you' to all who have reviewed and followed this story. It was definitely interesting to type. Thank you to those who have put this in their favorites and reviewed. I can't thank you guys enough for the critiques you had to offer (as well as general comments). It helped a ton._

_I promise to continue "With These One Shots" very soon. For those of you who don't know, "With These One Shots" is a series of one-shots based around the family relationship between Phineas, Ferb, and Perry. Because of that story, "Winner Take All" might've never been made._

**_Once again, thank you!_**


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